PM’s briefing on polls dialogue postponed

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s press conference scheduled to be held tomorrow has been postponed due to unavoidable reasons.

Ashraful Alam Khokon, deputy press secretary to the PM, confirmed the development to Bdchronicle this evening.

PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told BSS that the press conference has been postponed due to unavoidable reasons. A fresh date of the press conference would be announced later, he told the state-run news agency.

The premier was scheduled to address media at her official residence Gono Bhaban at 1:00pm tomorrow on the outcomes of the election dialogue with opposition alliance and other political parties.

Earlier, Awami League-led 14-party alliance led by the prime minister held second round of parley with Jatiya Oikyafront, the opposition alliance, to settle the political stalemate over the 11th parliamentary election.

The much-anticipated dialogues began on November 1 with the talks between Sheikh Hasina led 14-party alliance and Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikyafront.

Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury-led Juktofront held dialogue on November 2 while HM Ershad-led United National Alliance (UNA) on November 5.

Besides, the ruling alliance also held talks with Islami Oikya Jote, an alliance of 12 Islamic parties, and the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), a combination of eight leftist parties, on November 6.

According to the BSS, the dialogues over the next elections will end at the Gono Bhaban tonight with the talks between the ruling alliance and 25 political parties.

Meanwhile, the Election Commision announced that Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda will address the nation and declare the schedule for 11th general election tomorrow.

HOW WERE THE TALKS INITIATED?

Dr Kamal on behalf of the Oikyafront wrote to the PM on October 28, requesting her to hold talks. On October 30, the PM invited the alliance for talks at her official residence on November 1.

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (BDB) President Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury on October 30 wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also president of ruling Awami League, for talks over holding the upcoming general election in a free, fair and inclusive manner.

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad also sent a letter to PM Hasina on October 31 to join talks over the upcoming election, and PM on the same day replied him with an invitation to sit for dialogue on November 5.

PM also invited the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), a platform of the left-leaning parties, to sit for talks.

WHAT ARE OIKYAFRONTÕS DEMANDS?

The 11-point goal announced by the alliance includes ensuring checks and balances in the state power, decentralisation of administration, freeing MPs from the stringent restrictions imposed on them under article 70 of the constitution, formation of a constitutional commission to make appointments to all constitutional and other important posts and full independence of the judiciary.

The alliance also announced a seven-point demand, including the one for holding the next parliamentary election under a nonpartisan government, dissolution of parliament before the polls and recasting the Election Commission.